The Mercyhurst women's hockey team begins its quest for an NCAA-record 11th consecutive national tournament appearance in a familiar rink -- Mercyhurst Ice Center.

The Lakers, who turned an NCAA Division I playoff spot into the fourth Frozen Four berth in the program's history a season ago, opens the 2014-15 season with eight of their first 10 games on home ice, starting with a two-game series against Providence Oct. 3-4. They also have home games against Northeastern (Oct. 17-18), Minnesota State-Mankato (Oct. 24-25) and College Hockey America rival Robert Morris (Oct. 31-Nov. 1). The lone road trip is Oct. 10-11 in Orono, Maine, against the Black Bears.

Mercyhurst (24-9-4 in 2013-14) has four other non-conference games in the first half -- Nov. 11 at Ohio State, Nov. 25-26 at home against Colgate and Dec. 1 at Cornell. The Lakers ended Cornell's season with a 3-2 national quarterfinal win in Ithaca, N.Y., in March. Mercyhurst faces reigning CHA Tournament champion Rochester Institute of Technology for the first time in a two-game series Nov 21-22 at MIC. RIT beat the Lakers 2-1 in double overtime in the final to claim its first CHA title in the program's second NCAA D-I season.

The Lakers face a road-heavy schedule in the second half, as they have eight of 12 games away from home, including two non-conference games Jan. 23-24 at St. Lawrence. They conclude the regular season Feb. 20-21 at CHA foe Lindenwood.

The Lakers have their lone exhibition game Sept. 27 at MIC against Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy from Kelowna, British Columbia.

Coach Michael Sisti (377-108-34 record in 15 seasons at Mercyhurst) has a chance to reach the 400-win plateau during the season. He ranks among the top three coaches in women's hockey in career wins and winning percentage (.759).